High Capacity Metro Trains Project

Breadcrumb

Supporting the State's objective of delivering a world-class public transport network, the High Capacity Metro Trains Project will deliver 65 seven-car trains for use on the Cranbourne Pakenham and Sunbury lines, and two dedicated maintenance facilities.

Project

High Capacity Metro Trains (HCMT) Project

Status

Contract Let

Department or agency

Public Transport Victoria (PTV), in conjunction with the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (DEDJTR)

Description

The public private partnership contract with Evolution Rail was executed in November 2016. 65 new 7-car trains will be delivered by mid 2023, providing a dedicated train fleet for the Cranbourne Pakenham line. Once opened, the trains will service the Metro Tunnel, and run through to Sunbury. Passengers across the wider metropolitan rail network will benefit through the redeployment of existing trains to other lines.

The project also includes the delivery of a new train depot in Pakenham East (including a train maintenance facility, two simulators and a stabling yard), along with a service facility at Calder Park. These facilities will have the flexibility to cater for the future rolling stock maintenance needs of the network.

Associated infrastructure upgrades on the Cranbourne Pakenham and Sunbury lines will be separately delivered by the State. The project forms part of the Cranbourne Pakenham Line Upgrade program which collectively will create thousands of jobs and increase capacity, ease congestion and reduce travel times for the one million people living in Melbourne’s south-east corridor.

Importantly, the project will provide an invaluable boost to local manufacturing and related supply chains. Evolution Rail has committed to a fleet local content level of 60 per cent, with the entire fleet to be manufactured in Newport. In addition:

the maintenance facilities will comprise 87 per cent local content;

the contract will create 1,100 highly skilled local jobs, of which 15 per cent will be allocated to apprentices, trainees and engineering cadets; and

targeted partnerships with Toyota, Chisholm Institute and Swinburne University will transition workers from disadvantaged backgrounds, including automotive workers, across to the project.

The Department of Treasury and Finance acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders, past and present.